RACE REPORT

Matty was at his sparkling best at British GT’s blue riband meeting at Silverstone on Sunday, as he charged through the GT4 field twice to take his sixth podium finish since joining the championship in 2016.

The biggest test of endurance in the championship, the 21-year old drove a swashbuckling race filled with brave overtaking moves and on the limit pace, spending much of his time in In2Racing’s McLaren 570S GT4 lapping as the fastest car in the class.

It was a superb return to action and was all the more impressive following a difficult practice and qualifying, which left Matty and team-mate Marcus Hoggarth struggling with the handling of the #29 machine following changes to its balance of performance formula.

Starting mid pack from 11th on the GT4 grid, it was gentleman driver Hoggarth who took the start and made steady progress throughout his 40 minutes behind the wheel, handing the car over to Matty in eighth place.

Taking to a race for the first time since mid April, Matty wasted no time in signalling his intentions, pushing from the moment he turned off the pit-lane speed limiter as he took to the track, with his pace reeling in those ahead of him at a rate of knots.

Rejoining 16th in GT4 as teams opting to run longer opening stints got ahead, he was up to sixth in class within eight laps of taking over the car and fully involved with the battle for the GT4 lead, a lead that Matty would take four laps before handing the car back to Hoggarth, in a highly entertaining battle.

Running third behind the Macmillan Racing Aston Martin of Jan Jonck and the Track-Club McLaren of Adam Mackay, Matty took advantage of hesitation from the man in the car he raced in 2016 as GT3 cars lapped the squabbling GT4 leaders, to move into second and keep on the bumper of Mackay.

Pursuing his prey, three laps of pressure finally told into Club corner, as Matty seized upon a wobble from Mackay as he was passed by the GT3 Ferrari to force his way past and set about building a lead ahead of his next pit-stop.

Having built well on solid foundations laid by Hoggarth’s opening stint, the In2Racing pair were playing themselves into contention for victory, however a difficult stint for Hoggarth as the effects of the amended regulations made themselves felt, meant as Matty resumed last but one in class.

It was a position though that once again brought out a top draw drive from Matty as he again scythed his way forward almost at will. Finding himself third with ten minutes remaining and lapping up to a second and a half faster than the leaders, the race was firmly on for the win but ultimately, the charge fell short as the three our time limit elapsed with Matty less three seconds behind.

And while it was undoubtedly a drive that would have been deserving of the top step of the podium, taking his sixth podium finish from twelve career British GT races would have to prove satisfaction enough.